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Skin

Usually when I hear the term ‘soap’ in connection to skincare, I stay as far away from the product as possible. Soap just sounds stripping, drying and antiquated, but as usual, there’s an exception to the rule.

The Herbivore Pink Clay Soap Bar has proven itself to be a gentle and natural alternative to my usual cleansing products and one that I’ve been happily surprised by.

I tend to cut down a sliver from the bar to use up at a time in order to avoid the whole thing getting gloopy and gross. I then run this little piece of soap under the water to create a lather and go straight onto the face. I do not, however, remove make-up with this, it is strictly a second cleanse product for me.

What scared me before trying this soap out was the consistency of the lather. I was afraid it would be sudsy and drying but it really forms more of a gentle cream than a soapy foam, so it’s all good.

Since the pink clay is formulated for drier skin, I have been able to use this throughout the winter as well without my skin getting too dry or flaky. The scent too has not aggravated my skin at all and is very subtle and refreshing.

All in all, my first foray into the Herbivore Botanicals line-up has been a pleasant surprise and I will be sure to try more from their collection soon.

When I purchased the Antipodes Moisture Boost Minis in the Asos Black Friday sale, I also added a set from Pixi int my basket that came with my favorite Glow Tonic and what was essentially a free bottle of the Glow Mist.

I already own and love the Hydrating Milky Mist, so I didn’t really need a new spray toner, but this looked to good to pass up.

It is a lightweight formula but really packs a punch hydration-wise with a mix of different nourishing oils.

The liquid separates a little bit in the bottle, so you need to shake it up before every use, but once applied, it leaves the skin feeling soft and silky without any heaviness or oily residue. Since central heating and the cold winter weather have dried out my skin considerably, this has been an absolute treat to use, especially in combination with a hydrating oil afterwards.

I have come to rely on Pixi a lot on my skincare routine and I think my skin has been a lot better for it, so I am itching to try even more from their range soon.

I couldn’t pass up a good deal if I tried, so when Asos offered some sweet deals on beauty products around Thanksgiving, I knew I had to get my hands on a few things.

One set I purchased consisted of the Antipodes Moisture Minis, a travel size of both the Divine Face Oil and the Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream.

Originally, I wanted to save these for traveling, but of course, my curiosity got the best of me. I tried them out and have been using both products consistently ever since, especially now that the weather has turned wintery cold.

I tend to mix the two products and use them as a final step in my skincare routine whenever my skin is feeling especially dry and chapped. I do that only because I am not the biggest fan of applying oil straight to my face, but you could definitely use either of these on their own.

I have two say, the addition of these to moisture-heavy items has helped tremendously with my dry and dehydrated skin this winter. Even my chapped skin from having a cold was instantly soothed and rehydrated.

It is an extra bonus that the whole Antipodes line-up is completely natural with high quality formulas and beautiful ingredients because it really feels like I am feeding my skin something nice. If you can get your hands on it, be sure to give this line a try as I have not found a product yet that hasn’t lived up to the hype.

While I do love a good brick-and mortar shopping experience, I am always appreciative of being able to pick out a few choice samples before checking out as a little treat to myself.

I do try to weed out the duds as soon as I get my samples in, but there are always the few that are supremely above the cut and that I can’t wait to try out.

After my recent trip to Aesop, I went home with a handful of samples that could make up a beautiful skincare routine if they work for my skin. From the Fabulous Face Cleanser to the B & Tea Balancing Toner and the brand new Lucent Facial Concentrate, the sales assistant geared the little sachets towards what I had told her about my skin beforehand. I have tried out the Lucent Serum on my hand and it felt lush, so I am happy to be able to give it a try before springing for the expensive full size.

Speaking of high priced products, the Chantecaille Just Skin Tinted Moisturizer must be the most luxe offering in its category but it is also on top price-wise. While the shade I got might not be perfect for me, I am excited to try out the formula and texture in order to make up my own mind.

Since I recently also ran out of primer, it is the perfect time to give the Pixi Flawless & Poreless a little try. Pixi have been rocking my socks lately anyway, so this might be a winner too.

Finally, two products that might be saving my winter skin are the VMV Hypoallergenics Red Better Flare-Up Balm, an all-purpose salve for chapped and inflamed skin, and a generous travel-size of the REN Vita Mineral Daily Supplement Moisturising Cream.

Another day, another spray. It seems that I can’t get enough of spray on toners and I have talked about quite a few in the past few months, but the Pixi Hydrating Milky Mist might just have topped them all.

With the weather getting colder and colder (we just had our first snow yesterday!), my skin is yearning for more and more moisture. Instead of opting for heavier textures, I have tried to incorporate light but hydrating formulas into my routine and so far, my skin is in very good condition for it.

Is use this spray every night in conjunction with the Pixi Glow Tonic and the combination of exfoliating acids and the hydrating qualities of the mist has kept my skin soft and not at all dry or flaky.

The spray nozzle itself disperses a wonderfully fine mist so the skin never feels soaked in product but refreshed and soothed. My only wish is that it came in a bigger bottle because I tend to run out of products like this quickly. At 80 ml, it is a decent size, but I can’t see it lasting me more than a couple of months at a time.

Aesop has been a brand on my radar for the longest time. An Australian apothecary-style brand, they are as effective as they are instagrammable.

I have tried only a handful of products, but their hand care line in the Resurrection scent has been on my wishlist for the longest time. Still, it seemed a bit extravagant to me to spent a good amount of money on what essentially are high-turnover body care products such as soap and hand cream.

A few weeks ago however, I decided to treat myself for a job well done by visiting a brick-and-mortar Aesop store (which might be the closest thing to heaven on earth) and purchase a few products.

First up is the Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash, which comes in gorgeous vintage-looking packaging and smells wonderful with herbal notes of rosemary and cedarwood as well as fresh accords of mandarin rind. The product itself is great as well, as much as you can differentiate between different types of liquid hand soap. It’s not very foaming or stripping but rather works up to a soft lather that leaves the hands clean but not parched.

The Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm comes in the same scent and a pretty blush colored aluminium tube which is way too pretty to stow away in a hand bag. The balm itself is beyond gorgeous as it sinks in quickly and leaves the hand soft without any greasy residue or tacky feeling. My one gripe however, is that the smallest size, at 75 ml, is still pretty large and not handbag friendly. I wish they would do a smaller travel size at a lower price to use on the go.

I am glad I have treated myself to such luxurious everyday products since it is a joy to use them. I’m trying not to be too precious about them but I have already vowed to reuse the soap-dispenser and fill it up with a cheaper hand wash once it has run out.

Fall is well and truly here and while I (unseasonably) lightened my hair a few weeks ago, my make-up looks have made the transition to autumnal hues for sure.

The two looks I have been going for most have been centered around the gorgeous Becca Ombre Rouge palette, which seems to be just perfect for this time of year.

For a more neutral make-up, I have been using shade 2 and 3 for a tonal, muted and slightly shaded eye. It’s subtle enough to be worn day to day, but the shadows are just beautiful to work with and make for a gorgeous simple eye look. On the cheeks, MAC Buff is one of my favorites as it is a wonderfully neutral sculpting shade that gives structure to the cheek without interfering with any other colors on the face. Finally, I have fallen back in love with MAC Kinda Sexy, a warm nude that is completely on trend with the slightly brownish 90s lip that has come back into style.

For a bit more color, I have been using shade 4 from the palette all over the lid. A pretty camel shade, this is perfectly on trend as well and picks up the warmer tones from the rest of the make-up. The Becca Mineral Blush in Wild Honey has been my go to in the last little while. A darkened neutral bronze, this works amazingly in lieu of bronzer (or additionally if you are as pale as I am) with a hint of orangey warmth and a completely natural finish. On the lips, Colourpop Poison is a gorgeous brick red that makes for a vampy fall lip with a twist.

So as you can see, my autumn looks fall neatly into a category of neutral warming tones with the occasional pop of color. Seeing as I get so much mileage out of my Becca palette, I am so glad I made the investment and I will for sure be using it well into winter and next year as well.